When Michael Howard was Tory leader, he called for a change of culture to counteract the spread of “political correctness” which he says is damaging Britain. Ordinary people are being “driven crazy” by political correctness which has a “corrosive effect on society”, he told an audience at a Stafford hotel. “We cannot simply dismiss every isolated case of stupidity or zeal or plain barminess,” Mr Howard said. Labour Party chairman Ian McCartney has dismissed the attack as “desperate”.
Mr Howard said such political correctness gave officials an excuse “to meddle and interfere in people’s lives”. “It leads to expensive, time consuming and pointless litigation. It plays into the hands of extremists,” Mr Howard argued.